1 Suggested Answer

Hi,
a 6ya Expert can help you resolve that issue over the phone in a minute or two.
Best thing about this new service is that you are never placed on hold and get to talk to real repair professionals here in the US. click here to Talk to an Expert (only for users in the US for now) and get all the help you need. Goodluck!

Tell us some more! Your answer needs to include more details to help people.You can't post answers that contain an email address.Please enter a valid email address.The email address entered is already associated to an account.Login to postPlease use English characters only.

Related Questions:

Having a "Lens error" message display on the camera's LCD display indicates a problem with the camera lens mechanism. This situation generally requires that the camera be sent to a Nikon Service Department for repair. Before doing this however, be sure to check these situations below:

One possible reason for this error is if the camera is switched on and the lens unit is prevented from extending. The camera will struggle for a second to extend the lens, then report the problem. Inspect the lens for any obvious obstruction, then turn the camera off, then on again. Usually, simply switching the camera Off then On again is enough to correct this problem.

Remove and recharge the battery. Retest.

If this does not help, then we regret the camera must be sent to our Nikon Service department as there are no user serviceable parts on Nikon Coolpix cameras.
To find your local Nikon authorized service agent Click Here.
We apologize for the inconvenience and will do everything we can to repair your Nikon camera as quickly as possible.

Stuck zoom is the most common failure mode for a digital camera. Some
common error messages that might show up on the LCD's of cameras with
this problem include "E18 lens error", or "lens error, restart camera".
Some cameras might show nothing at all, but merely make a beeping noise
as the lens goes out, then in, then the camera shuts off. Sometimes the
lens won't even move.
The problem is actually quite common throughout all camera
brands. Usually it's sand or grit interfering with the lens extension
mechanism. Or the camera's been dropped with the lens extended. Or the
camera has been powered on, but the lens had been blocked preventing its
extension. Or the battery ran down with the lens extended.
A camera owner that suffers this problem may have no recourse for
having the camera repaired. Many camera makers will not honor repairing
this problem under warranty as they claim it is due to impact damage to
the camera, or sand or debris getting into the lens gearing mechanism
(neither of which is covered under warranty). The quoted repair cost is
usually close to or more than what the camera is actually worth.
This part can be easily replaced in most cameras.The following video shows how to open a Nikon Coolpix P80:

Having a "Lens error" message display on the camera's LCD display indicates a problem with the camera lens mechanism. This situation generally requires that the camera be sent to a Nikon Service Department for repair. Before doing this however, be sure to check these situations below:

One possible reason for this error is if the camera is switched on and the lens unit is prevented from extending. The camera will struggle for a second to extend the lens, then report the problem. Inspect the lens for any obvious obstruction, then turn the camera off, then on again. Usually, simply switching the camera Off then On again is enough to correct this problem. Remove and recharge the battery. Retest.

If this does not help, then we regret the camera must be sent to our Nikon Service department as there are no user serviceable parts on Nikon Coolpix cameras.

This occurs when the spring inside the lens is out of place. Then, the lens is unable to move and autofocus, causing lens error. It is practically impossible to repair it yourself. You will only make it worse if you are not a trained professional. I have tried it myself on my Nikon P1 camera.The best thing you can do is to take it to a service center for repairing. If the camera is under guarantee, then repairs will be free. If it is not under warranty, you can expect to pay under $50.Cheers

Usually that means that you have a bit of grit in the lens mechanism and the camera recognizes that it is taking too much force to open or close. The clicking noise is the camera trying to extend the lens for use. If repeatedly switching the camera on and off fails, you are at a crossroads. You can send it to a repair facility to have the grit removed (assuming the unit hasn't be come damaged in the process). Or, you can take a substantial risk and try to "help" the lens open or close by wiggling or pushing lightly on the lens mechanism to try to loosen the grit. The risk is that you'll break the mechanism for good. I have taken this risk and won, but it's a chance you'll have to decide to take on your own!

Lens errors are fairly common. Usually it's sand or grit interfering with the lens extension mechanism. Or the camera's been dropped with the lens extended. Or the camera has been powered on, but the lens had been blocked preventing its extension. Or the battery ran down with the lens extended ...
Unfortunately, many cameras that fall prey to this can only be corrected by professional repair. But, here are some things that you can do that may correct it. They only seem to work for less than 40% of the lens errors, but if the camera is out of warranty, they're worth a try.

Hi,Usually it's sand or grit interfering with the lens extension mechanism. Or the camera's been dropped with the lens extended. Or the camera has been powered on, but the lens had been blocked preventing its extension. Or the battery ran down with the lens extended. If the camera is still under warranty, before trying any of these, please please first contact your camera's maker to see if they'll cover the repair, or to determine how much they'll charge for the repair. Who knows, you might get lucky. But if they quote you a number that's higher than the value of your camera, you may want to consider the following methods.Place the camera flat on its back on a table, pointed at the ceiling. Press and hold the shutter button down, and at the same time press the power-on button. The idea is that the camera will try to auto focus while the lens is extending, hopefully seating the lens barrel guide pins in their slots. Blow compressed air in the gaps around the lens barrels with the idea of blowing out any sand or grit that may be in there jamming the lens. Other variations include blowing with a hair dryer in “no heat” setting, or sucking the gaps with a vacuum (careful with this one).Thank you!